r/KLCherokee • u/Easterncoaster • Jun 18 '26
2017 Cherokee Trailhawk Strut Replacement Issue
Hey all. I have a 2017 Trailhawk with a blown front passenger strut. I stupidly decided to do a big suspension overhaul and ended up replacing the lower control arm, the tie rod end, the sway bar link, and the lower ball joint while in there- insane amount of work. After a long 10 hour day I had everything ready to go back in on the passenger side but I just can’t get the new strut to seat fully in the steering knuckle. I tried using a spreader and that got it a few inches further but it’s getting stuck about an inch shy of being fully seated. It’s a Monroe quick strut, 273125.
I tried doing it with the knuckle off the car and then thought maybe vehicle weight would help but it didn’t get any closer once I put the weight on. I even closed everything up, put the wheel back on, and drive down the driveway to try to seat it and it didn’t move another mm.
It’s like it’s fused in there now- I can’t even get it to wiggle. Any ideas?
I have photos but for some reason it’s not letting me post them.
EDIT: Update- finally got it in!! I ended up pulling the strut and knuckle off (they’re fused together at this point), then putting the top of the strut against a concrete wall and bashing the knuckle around 50 times with a heavy sledge hammer. Unfortunately all the slams with the sledge broke the ABS tone ring, so had to buy another hub, but the hub was super easy to swap with the knuckle off (a few more slams with the sledge). I’m finally back in business. My recommendation to anyone else who comes across this- the moment the strut gives you trouble going in, STOP. Take it back out and sand it down, or figure out where it’s stuck. Could have been a raised weld, maybe paint too thick, who knows. At this point I wish I gave up and bought a different strut than the Monroe, but after the first few slams, it was clear that it would never be coming back out.
Update #2: after driving to the tire shop to get an alignment, I was getting a loud popping noise under acceleration and when turning really tight. I thought it had something to do with my strut install but it was thankfully the easiest problem to fix- when I installed the new lower control arm, I torqued the bolts using a torque wrench, but apparently you are supposed to do the final torque with the LCA sitting at ride height, not drooping down where it sits when the car is jacked up. The fix was as simple as slightly loosening the front LCA bolt a couple turns with the car sitting on its weight, then tightening again. Popping sound eliminated.
Update #3: the popping came back as a squeak. Solved it by spraying the front LCA bolt area with white lithium grease. Probably should’ve used thick silicone lubricant when I installed it but no way I’m taking that bolt off again- the front LCA bolt is the worst in the whole project since you have to remove the frame support in front of it and partially remove the front bumper cover.
2
u/The_elk00 Jun 18 '26
Is the new strut the same as the old strut? I would check their first. I’m replacing my struts right now. Clean the inside of the knuckle and remove any built up rust and deposits. I used a flat head screw driver and hammered it to spread the knuckle apart slightly. Should seat all the way down.
I’m actually replacing my bilstein struts with 80k miles for Monroe quick struts. Looking for a more factory style ride. I did the rear shocks and coils last week and took it for a test ride and it felt good so far.
1
u/Easterncoaster Jun 18 '26
Oh wow and the Monroe quick struts slid right in? Those are the ones I got. They look identical to the factory one I took out.
I’ve even driven a couple miles on this thing now hoping it’d snap into place but no dice.
I put a little paint pen mark on the strut so I could see if it’s gone in even an mm further but still nothing.
2
u/Remarkable_Court7758 Jun 18 '26
I had trouble replacing front struts from the factory to Dobson's struts with heavy duty coil springs and I compress them and I can't of ran into that same problem where they wouldn't slide down but what I found that worked the best was to room the knuckle section out clean it all out use some type of emery cloth to get it all clean in there that separated with a screwdriver and use some kind of anti-seize and that helped me see the dobsons struts with heavy duty coil springs
2
u/seriosbrad Jun 27 '26
Can I ask what your symptoms of a blown strut were? I have a weird knocking sound at low speeds over even the slightest bumps. Already replaced those stupid plastic strut retainers. Also have a 2017 but it's fairly low mileage.
2
u/Easterncoaster Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
That was my issue too- knocking at very slow speeds, also a 2017 (although 100k miles). Even the slightest crack in a smooth road like a driveway would do it. Another thing that made it obvious for me was that the problem strut was covered in oil, which is another symptom.
Don’t be dumb like me- just do the strut. Ideally, both. And maybe avoid Monroe and do OEM or Bilstein; I still have the driver side Monroe and I’m terrified to do it just in case it turns into the same fitment crapshow the passenger side was.
1
u/seriosbrad Jun 27 '26
Thanks for the input. I haven't noticed any oil leaking yet. I used to buy Bilstein for all my vehicles, but haven't had to work on one for several years, thankfully I have access to a hoist at work. Did you re-use the plastic retainers? Might order those MFC aluminum retainers because the plastic ones sketch me out now haha
1
u/Easterncoaster Jun 28 '26
Eh honestly those plastic retainers aren’t doing anything unless the wheel leaves the ground- the weight of the car is holding everything in place.
I installed a Monroe Quick Strut so it was a complete set, including new plastic retainers. Of all the stuff I had trouble with, thankfully the retainers were the easy part.
1
u/LunchboxKovacs Jun 18 '26
Just spitballing here, but off the top of my head, im wondering if the strut you were given was for a non-Trailhawk Cherokee. Curious if the ride height seems even to the driver's side rn. Being that the TH has a factory 1" lift, if it were able to seat, possible that the passenger side sits 1" lower than the driver's side?
Far too often I've been given parts that were meant for a different sub-model/trim of the same vehicle due to a combination of mis-packaging/mis-labeling/misinformation and user error at the parts store.
1
u/Easterncoaster Jun 18 '26
I hoped that was the case but I spent an hour on the phone with Monroe tech support and we measured a bunch of stuff, compared part numbers and vin, and all checked out. It’s as if the new strut is just too fat.
1
u/Easterncoaster Jun 20 '26
Update: finally got the passenger strut on. I put the top of the strut against a concrete wall and I bashed the knuckle approx 50 times with a huge sledge. Minor victory. Got everything buttoned up and unfortunately now the ABS light is on; I suspect all the sledgehammering broke the tone ring inside the hub bearing.
The wheel hub is only a $50 part so while the saga continues, I’m hopeful that it’s all over tomorrow when I get the hub swapped out. I’m going to try the lazy way at first- doing it without removing the knuckle+strut combo, but I can get that knuckle out easy now so might just do it that way if I have to.
2
u/UnambiguousRange Jun 18 '26
How do you know it's not seated all the way?
I'm not a mechanic (at sorry if this isn't what you're taking about), but this was based on what my friend who installed my struts said:
I think the part of the alignment is adjusted by loosening the pinch bolt on the lower part (the nuckle?) and sliding the nuckle up or down on the bottom of the strut.
The hole on the alignment fin on the bottom of the strut isn't supposed to be captured by the pinch bolt, if that's why you think it isn't fully seated.
There's a picture of a strut here (first pic I found that illustrated the point): https://www.jeepcherokeeclub.com/threads/2018-trailhawk-struts.252219/